Plot Bunnysteins That My Muse Forced Me To Write
by Lord Lugos
Summary: This is my bin of story ideas that I don't currently plan on writing. Please feel free to take an idea an run with it, but please let me know so that I can enjoy the full idea without doing the work of having to write it.
1. Harry Potter And The First Task

**_AN: _**_Hello there. chapters for the other stories are half completed thanks to real life. My muse has however bombarded me with a gazillion story ideas, so I decided to take a page from other authors and create a scrap bin for your pleasure. If you would like to take any idea here and run with it, please do, and please let me know so I can read the a story without having to write it. Let me know what you think of this little snippet. Thanks._

**"Harry Potter And The First Task"**

Darkness.

Pain.

A somewhat familiar feeling for Harry James Potter, the-boy-who-lived. How he hated that moniker. The efforts of a phantom dark lord seemed to haunt every corner of his life. Never could he be Just Harry. From his painful muggle existence to his overbearing wizarding one, he never seemed to catch a break. A chance to breath.

Here he was in the hospital wing of Hogwarts again. He could tell by the feel and smell. Afraid to open his eyes just yet, as he could not exactly remember why he was here this time, he just lay there as he returned to a more conscious state.

Breath in. Breath out.

The pain was dull, something he could easily tolerate. A tear escaped his eye at the thought that at only fourteen, he had a high tolerance to pain thanks to his relatives, and then Voldemort's life changing interferences. He wanted a real childhood, but it seemed that he was fate's bitch.

He very nearly chuckled at the use of the word bitch, even in his own thoughts. How many of the adults and Hermione would chide him for his use of language. Especially coming from The-Gryffindor-Golden-Boy, yet another label he despised.

Finally awake enough to perhaps find out what happened this time, though he was afraid to remember, he opened his eyes. His first sight was his right hand sitting gently on top of the blanket that covered him. A moment of terror swept through him, a niggling in the back of his mind that something was horribly wrong, causing him to grip the blanket tightly.

With a shaky breath, he released the blanket and reached over to the night stand and snatched up his glasses, placing them quickly on his face. He puzzled a moment at the potion ingredients, tools, and softly simmering cauldron spread out on the small table, before looking around at the empty hospital wing.

A large, black dragon appeared in the back of his mind.

He remembered and intense fear gripped him.

He had summoned his broom to get past the horn tail dragon. He looked up when he heard the broom soaring to him, and when he looked back, it was just in time to see the tail coming toward him. He raised his left arm instinctively to block the blow that came. The tail didn't just hit him, it pushed him through the air, slamming him into a rocky outcropping on the ground.

Nearly blinded by pain, he saw his left leg was barely recognizable having been crushed below the knee. He could not feel his left arm which appeared to be hanging on by a few strands of skin. He felt numb all over as he stared and the adrenaline started to kick in.

Realizing he needed to get out of there fast, he maneuvered himself onto his broom, and took off, holding on with his thighs mostly. The dragon came after him, and in a fit of delirium, he swooped down and snatched the unprotected golden egg. Flying erratically and barely holding on, he soared up to battered again.

He watched in detached fascination as a narrow miss pushed him to the side and his dangling limbs were scorched and swallowed up by the beast. He giggled insanely as he landed on his back in front of a shocked crowd and frightened judges. The whole episode had lasted all of about thirty seconds.

"I got it!" Harry yelled with a goofy grin as he held the egg up before passing out.

Tears started to flow down his face as he remembered. He shook with fear at the pain and numbness of his left limbs. That was what he feared when he woke up to see just his right hand he realised. But perhaps the bandaged arm was just under the covers he hoped. Madam Pomfrey could fix anything after all.

He looked down and his hope faded. There was no outline in the blanket where his arm and leg should be. Wishing he was dreaming, he slowly dared to place his hand on the blanket on his left side. He slowly, fearfully, pushed into nothingness.

The silent sobs started then.

"Why?" he mumbled to himself.

He couldn't think straight. His life was always hell, no matter if in the muggle or wizarding world. He found he just could not deal with it. Too much. Too much pain. Too much suffering. No more. He reached over and grabbed the knife for preparing potion ingredients and stared hard at it.

Yes.

Peace.

Finally.

He spun it around in his hand and brought it down with all of the strength he had left in him toward his heart.

"Harry no!" a familiar voice called out and Harry found his arm frozen in place, the knife just barely breaking the surface of the skin on his chest.

"Let me die," Harry pleaded sadly as he turned his head toward Dumbledore, oblivious to the others that had entered the room.

"Harry, please let me explain what's happened," Dumbledore started but Harry cut him off.

"What's to explain? I'm fucked. Totally fucked. My first and best friend is jealous of a fame that took any family I had away from me. I've got a potion teacher who hated my father who I never knew and takes it out on me. My aunt and uncle locked me in the cupboard under the goddamned stairs for the first ten years of my life, locked me in my room after that, and starved me the whole time. My cousin and his gang would always play Harry Hunting where they would chase me down and beat the shit out of me. After I found out I was a wizard and started school here, Voldemort nearly killed me in my first and second year. That idiot Fudge would rather listen to a rich death eater than do what he was elected to do and so I can't have my godfather take care of me. The one chance at some kind of caring adult for just me, only me. So I've. Got. No. One. Now I get ripped apart because someone else decides I should die. Let me go to my parents. I know they loved me."

"Harry," Dumbledore said as calmly as he could, the knife wavering a bit as his magic struggled against the boy's will to harm himself. "Please listen. Please."

Harry sadly relaxed his arm, and allowed Dumbledore to approach and take the knife. He stared up at the old wizard, tears and hopelessness in his eyes.

Dumbledore stared at the expression on Harry's face, contemplating what needed to be said first. He began to feel an unending sorrow at what the boy had been through, and vowed to make it better, though much had already been done. He hoped that Harry would listen long enough for him to explain.

"Let me say first that you will be whole once again and we found out who entered your name into the Goblet."

Harry stared hard into the headmasters eyes, a small glimmer of hope appearing as Harry's quiet, sobbing smoothed out and he breathed in and out a little more calmly. "Who?"

Dumbledore relaxed a bit then and replied, "A person known as Bartemius Crouch Junior."

Harry looked confused at that response then looked expectantly for the headmaster to continue.

"After you passed out, he revealed himself. A deatheater who was believed to be dead, hidden by his father, he escaped and was working for Voldemort. You were not supposed to be injured, his intention was an elaborate plan for you to win the tournament, and be whisked away by a portkey made from the Triwizard Cup. The man we believed to be Professor Moody was Barty Jr. using polyjuice potion."

"So he got nervous when I was hurt, then? I can't imagine Voldemort would be too happy about that if he wanted that pleasure to himself."

"Indeed," Dumbledore said with a sad smile. "But in his revelation, we were able to find out where Voldemort was, and he has been taken care of for the moment, with plans in place to make it permanent."

Harry looked down in thought, then looked up suddenly. "Just how long have I been out?"

"Two weeks, and much has happened," Dumbledore replied, holding Harry's gaze. "In his weakened state, I was able to subdue him and find out how he remains alive. We also found Pettigrew, and things will be alright now."

When Dumbledore motioned to the door with his head, Harry glanced over and froze in shock. Everyone was there, and apparently had been the whole time. Hermione, the entire Weasley family, Remus, most of the staff, including Snape, his year mates in Gryffindor, Cedric and his father, even Fudge was there, as well as a certain godfather named after the dogstar.

He saw that everyone had tears of a mixture of sadness and relief in their eyes, even Snape's were a bit most, which took Harry back for a moment. He knew he was dead then, or near it, and his tears slowly started up again.

"I'm dead," he said softly, but Dumbledore heard him.

With a glance at what Harry was looking at, he couldn't help but chuckle. "No, my dear boy, you are not dead. Professor Snape actually does have a heart."

Snape scowled at that as he strode over menacingly. "My relief at you regaining consciousness was only aimed at not wasting my valuable efforts in modifying Skelegro and burn paste to regrow the limbs you managed to lose."

Harry looked between Dumbledore and Snape in shock. "I thought that was impossible."

"Perhaps for someone as horrendous at potions as yourself that would be true. I however am a potions master. But to work the treatment had to be started immediately, before your magic became to accustomed to the absence of your limbs."

With that he scooped up some green paste from one of the cauldrons, pulled Harry's sheet back, and began applying it to the stumps. Harry wasn't the only one to turn his head away from the sight with a cringe.

"Please warn me next time," Harry croaked with a shudder as he felt the paste being spread on a part of his body that he did not want to acknowledge.

"Harry," Snape said quietly after tucking the sheet back in, causing Harry to look up in shock.

Harry stared at the potion Snape was offering before allowing him to tip it into his mouth. It didn't taste as bad as Skelegro usually, causing him to look up at the potions professor in puzzlement.

With a glare back at everyone to be sure he wasn't be overheard, Snape turned to Harry and said, "I was the first one to you when you were injured. With your sweat soaked hair and missing glasses, I, for the first time, did not see you as the arrogant son of James Potter, the bane of my existence, but the injured child of Lily Evans, a wonderful lady whom I knew before we attended Hogwarts, and a person whom I always cared for."

Harry again had another shock, and wondered just how many more there were to come, and how many more he could actually handle.

"We shall speak of this later, tell no one you impudent brat, or you WILL be in detention permanently the moment you are well enough. Am I clear?"

"Yes sir," Harry said, still a bit flabbergasted.

Snape stood up and with another glare at everyone, went back to the work table to continue brewing, as the shelf life of the potion and paste were so short as to be non existent.

Harry looked down at himself and sighed. "So how long will this take?"

"Till about the middle of February," Snape replied harshly. "You must not perform magic, as it will interfere with the healing process."

Dumbledore patted Harry on the shoulder when his tears started up again. "You are disqualified from the tournament now. These injuries have voided the binding magical contract."

"But its such a long time," Harry almost whined. "Months of my life are gone with me stuck like this."

Everyone, including Dumbledore, could empathize with that. Harry had paid so much of his life to the Dark Lord, and now here yet even more. They watched as the modified Skelegro finally kicked in and Harry drifted off to sleep. They all consoled each other as best as they could and left, although Sirius stayed behind.

Snape finished the latest stage of brewing and stood up to leave when he saw the frown the headmaster wore while staring at the sleeping boy. He was startled when the man spun on his heels and strode quickly out the door. Knowing the potion needed no attending for a while, he sped after him.

Dumbledore walking through the halls briskly with a frown on his face, and Snape at his heels, piqued McGonagall's curiosity and she sped off after them. She gave a questioning glance to Snape who seemed to have no idea as well. Soon they arrived at the headmaster's office. McGonagall and Snape watched as the old man riffled through a filing drawer and pulled out the Student attendance register from 1991.

"Albus?" questioned the deputy headmistress.

"Something Harry said doesn't sit well with me," Dumbledore replied and waved his wand at the register, causing it to list student addresses.

"Surely not?" Snape said, remembered quite vividly what the boy had said.

"It's automatic, Severus," Dumbledore replied, "I only added a multiplying charm in case the Dursleys tried to prevent Harry from getting his letter, which they did and I had to eventually send Hagrid."

They watched as the address for Harry cycled through itself in reverse of the auto updating charm. When it finally stopped on the first entry, Dumbledore let out a weary sigh.

"Severus," Dumbledore said after several minutes of contemplation, "I need to do some... investigation at the Dursleys, and I would appreciate your... imaginative skills in that endeavor."

"I believe my skills in transfiguration could be of use as well," McGonagall said with a scowl. "I will not be left out on such an important project."

The three looked at each other, and with a nod, they made their way toward the school entrance. They grabbed Sirius along the way, and headed for number 4, Privet Dr, Little Whinging, Surrey. The Dursleys were unprepared and quite extremely, although uselessly, repentant.


	2. Free At Last

**_AN :_**_ This has been sitting in my computer for a while, and now that I have a scrapbin story thing set up, decided to post it so maybe someone could have fun with it. Let me know what you think._

"**Free At Last"**

The small, or rather, large group headed back towards Hogwart's through the tunnel that opened up under the Whomping Willow tree. Hermione's cat, Crookshanks led the way. Peter Pettigrew, AKA Wormtail, deatheater and true betrayer of the Potters, was chained between Professor Remus Lupin and Ron Weasley, looking like contestants in a six legged race. Next came the unconscious Professor Severus Snape, drifting creepily along under the magical control of Sirius Black, innocent former Askaban Prisoner, and godfather to Harry, who brought up the rear with Hermione Granger.

"I wonder if Trelawney foresaw this," Hermione said jokingly, having quit the divination professor's class earlier.

Harry turned white at the comment and stopped, calling for everyone else to do so as well.

"What's wrong, Harry?" Sirius asked, pale with concern.

"She did foresee it," Harry responded as a cold shiver ran down his spine. "Something's gonna go wrong. Pettigrew's gonna escape, and return to Voldemort."

"But Harry," Hermione interjected, "we all know she's a right old fraud."

"You didn't see her, Hermione," Harry argued. "She went into a trance, and spoke in a weird voice, that no one could fake. Afterward, she had no clue what had happened. It was real."

"So what could go wrong, then?" Ron asked, nervously glancing at the deatheater chained to him.

Harry started pacing. "Think, think, think," he muttered to himself. "Hermione, help me," he added a little louder.

"I don't know, Harry," she said.

He kept pacing and then he could almost hear Hermione's voice in his head as he put all of the pieces together. He stopped pacing and looked up at Lupin.

"Tonight's the full moon, and that potion keeps you sane, but Snape said you didn't take it tonight. That's what's gonna go wrong," he said in a swift breath and drew his wand, pointing it at Pettigrew.

"Brilliant deduction, Harry," Hermione said and Harry blushed.

"Yeah, it was your voice I heard in my head when it all made sense," he replied, getting an equal blush from her.

"But there's too much cloud cover, Harry," Lupin said.

"Not any more," he replied, and pointed to the end of the tunnel, where glittering spatters of moonlight were beginning to show.

"Oh!" Lupin exclaimed and took a step back.

"Stun him," Harry said. "He would escape while we deal with your problem."

Indeed, Lupin was already shivering and looking pale. He and Sirius both sent a stunner at the traitor, who fell to the floor, unconscious.

"What's that spell you used, stupefy?" Harry asked and they nodded, after which Harry sent his own stunner at the man for good measure. "That should hold him. Professor Lupin? Can you summon the goblet?"

"I'm afraid not, Harry. I would spill it in my condition," he said and Harry turned to Sirius.

"I'm still too weak from Askaban, Harry," Sirius replied.

"I guess we try to make a run for it when the clouds pass over again," Harry suggested. "I'll levitate our prisoner, what was that spell, Sirius?"

"Mobilicorpus," Sirius said with a smile, and Harry nodded, casting the spell.

"Maybe Professor Lupin should stay here, Harry," Hermione said.

"No, Hermione," Lupin said. "Even without the light of the full moon, I still feel it's effects, only slower. I must try and get to the potion."

"Alright," Harry said, feeling a bit of confidence. "We can't waste anymore time. I'll go out first, and then let you know when it's safe."

They all nodded, trusting in the thirteen year old boy-who-lived. The boy who had done and seen and suffered so much in his young life. Harry nodded back and left them near the opening, after Crookshanks had stilled the tree by pressing on the knot near the base.

He looked up at the dark sky surrounding the moon. He couldn't really see how thick the clouds were. He hoped it would be enough. Once the moon was obscured, he called to them, and they climbed out as quickly as they could, and began their trek up to the castle.

The wind shifted and the clouds started to pass away from the moon, casting pale shadows across the ground. Sirius halted the kids, and pushed them back, telling them to run. They all stood there, watching as Lupin's limbs shook, and changed shape. Sirius told them to run again.

"No," Harry said. "I won't lose you now."

"You won't, Harry," Sirius said with a small smile. "I've done this before."

"But you had my dad to help you," Harry pleaded as Sirius disappeared from beside him, taking on his dog form. "And you're still weak from Askaban."

Lupin's transformation completed, and the werewolf snapped it's jaws at them. Sirius leapt, tackling him to the ground. They fought and then took off toward the forest.

"No!" Harry screamed. "The Dementors are out there."

Harry turned to his friends and checked on their prisoner, casting another stunner. Just then they heard a yelp from the darkness, a whining, a dog in pain.

"Sirius?" Harry muttered, staring into the darkness. "I've gotta help him," he said and took off, Hermione following and Ron limping to catch up.

The yelping seemed to be coming from near the lake. They kept heading towards it, Harry was sprinting, and felt the cold first, knowing instantly what it meant. When the yelping stopped abruptly, they all knew why even before they saw it a few moments later. Sirius had turned back to his human form, and was crouched on all fours, moaning as the dementors, about a hundred of them, gliding in a black mass around the lake towards them.

Harry spun around, feeling the familiar icy cold penetrating his insides. Fog started to obscure his vision as more kept appearing from the darkness on every side. They were circling the four, closing in.

"Think of something happy," Harry yelled to his two friends as he raised his wand, blinking furiously to try and clear his vision, shaking his head in an attempt to rid it of the screaming that had started inside it.

_Pettigrew is caught, and I'm going to stay with Sirius. No more Dursleys._

Harry forced himself to think of Sirius, only Sirius, and began to chant, "Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum!"

Sirius gave a shudder, rolled over and lay motionless, as pale as death.

"Ron, Hermione, help me!" Harry pleaded as he kept chanting, "Expecto patronum!"

Ron and Hermione tried, they only were able to mutter the first word of the spell as the coldness and horror filled their head. The Dementors were closing in, only ten feet from them. They formed a solid wall around Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Sirius, and were getting closer.

"Expecto patronum!" Harry yelled again, forcing the screaming from his ears, he wasn't about to lose his only chance at happiness now. Pettigrew was caught, and Sirius would go free. That was it. Justice. It was stronger than happiness.

A large silver mist erupted from his wand, driving back the Dementors. Harry felt his friends waver and collapse next to him and his silver mist faltered.

"No!" Harry cried. "I'm going to live with Sirius. Pettigrew will go to Askaban."

A dead, slimy hand slid out from under the cloak of the Dementor directly in front of his formless Patronus, and waved it away.

"No, damn you. You can't!" Harry yelled. "No, expecto patronum...expecto patronum."

Harry heard the rattling breath like an evil wind all around him. The nearest Dementor seemed to be considering him. Then it raised both its rotting hands, and lowered its hood.

Where there should have been eyes, there was only thin, grey, scabby skin, stretched blankly over empty sockets. But there was a mouth. A gaping, shapeless hole, sucking air with the sound of a death rattle.

A paralysing terror filled Harry so that he could not move or speak. His patronus flickered and died.

The familiar screams of his mother surrounded him in the fog as he fought against it. He suddenly saw a large, white stag galloping across the lake towards them. It forced all of the Dementors back, and Harry saw it actually killed one, after which the remaining creatures fled. Harry's eyes were closing in exhaustion as he watched the stag trot over to its conjurer.

Harry blinked. He saw...his dad. It couldn't be. He blinked again, and just before he passed out, he realised it wasn't his dad, but himself. He knew it, and took solace in the fact that somehow, he could make things okay.

Harry woke to talking around him. Fudge was congratulating Snape, who was telling some tall tale of him, Ron, and Hermione being confunded by his Godfather. He wondered what happened to Pettigrew. He was going to move and protest, despite the heaviness of his body and desire to stay in the comfortable bed, but thought better of it. Instead he continued to listen to the bullshit Snape was spewing forth, Fudge believing every word.

No one knew why the Dementors backed off or what killed one, as that was supposed to be impossible. Harry smiled, knowing that somehow, it was him, and pushed back the startled realization that he had been able to kill one of the evil beasts.

He quickly took in his surroundings as best as he could without his glasses. Ron was at the end of the hospital ward being tended to by Pomfrey, and Hermione was in the bed next to his, her eyes open and staring in shock. She had apparently heard everything he had. He brought a finger to his lips as he started to sit up.

"Ah, you're awake," Pomfrey said as she brought over a large block of chocolate, and began breaking off chunks for them. "Mr. Weasley will be fine, but you two...Potter? What are you doing?"

Harry pulled his glasses back on and stood up, grabbing his wand. "I need to see the headmaster," he said forcefully.

"It's alright, they've got Black," she said soothingly. "He's locked up upstairs. They'll be performing the kiss shortly."

Harry went cold at the thought. His last chance for a father figure was about to die. His last chance for someone to care about him. Really care about him.

"I don't think so," Harry said through gritted teeth and headed for the door. "Snape! What did you do with Pettigrew?" Harry yelled as he pulled the cracked door open all the way.

"I have no idea what you mean, Potter," Snape sneered. "You see, Minister? Confunded."

"How could you," Harry said as he was pulled back inside the hospital wing by Pomfrey. "You would let a childish rivalry put an innocent man in prison? You let Pettigrew go. You let my parents betrayer go, didn't you? You fucking bastard!"

"Mr. Potter!" she scolded and stuffed a piece of chocolate in his mouth. "You two, these children need rest."

Harry spat out the chocolate and stared at the potions professor with venom, then felt a tingle in his mind as Snape met his gaze with an evil smirk. Harry grabbed his head.

"Get out of my head, Snape!" Harry screamed and pushed with all of his might at the intrusion. He brought his wand up fast with his quidditch reflexes and thought 'stupefy'.

The red beam of light hit the startled potions master in the chest and he fell just as a shocked Dumbledore entered. He enervated Snape who got up with a scowl.

"That brat is out of control," Snape snarled.

"You're out of control you fucking deatheater," Harry spat. "Dumbledore, he let Pettigrew go."

"I need a word with Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger," Dumbledore said. "Alone. To help them calm down," he added and ushered a stuttering minister, a glaring Snape, and a fuming Healer into the hall.

Once alone, Dumbledore held up his hand to stop them from talking all at once. "Please listen to me, as there is very little time. The words of two thirteen year olds, a werewolf that was a close friend of Sirius will count for nothing against the eyewitnesses that said Sirius murdered Pettigrew. There is nothing I can do, as I myself gave evidence to the ministry that Sirius was the secret keeper. Sirius has not acted like an innocent man, the attack on the fat lady, entering Gryffindor tower with a knife."

Harry felt as if the world was coming to an end. He thought surely Dumbledore could do something, pull some amazing solution out of the air, and then...

"There is nothing that I can do. What we need is more...time," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he looked at Hermione, whose eyes opened wide in understanding. "Now, listen carefully, Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the west tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, you must not be seen. Ms. Granger, you know the law, you know what's at stake. You must not be seen."

Harry was watching and listening intently, trying to figure out what was going on. Dumbledore did have a plan after all. But what? His mind raced as he thought about everything that had been said tonight, and waited for the next revelation impatiently.

"I'm going to lock you in," Dumbledore said and looked at his watch. "Five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good Luck."

Harry turned to Hermione as Dumbledore closed the door with a click. He watched with trepidation as she fumbled with the neck of her robes, and pulled a long, gold chain from within them and threw it around his neck, too. He saw a tiny, sparkling hourglass hanging from it, and as she made to turn it, asked if he was ready. The entire school year and seeing himself cast the patronus clicked and he nodded quickly, daring to hope for what he believed was going to happen.

Harry watched carefully as Hermione turned the hourglass over three times, and the dark ward dissolved around them. Harry had the sensation of flying very fast, backwards, as a blur of colours and shapes rush passed him. His ears were pounding, and he tried to yell, but couldn't hear his own voice. Then he felt solid ground again, and everything came into focus.

He found himself standing next to Hermione in the deserted entrance hall. Fading sunlight streamed through the open front doors. He looked at Hermione and grinned at her.

"We've gone back in time, haven't we?" Harry said amazedly. "It's how you've got to classes all year, isn't it?"

"Yes," she whispered and quickly pulled him into broom cupboard across the hall. "Three hours back. Shh. Someone's coming."

"I think its us," Harry whispered, astonished, and pressed his ear to the door. "We're going down to Hagrid's I think. This is weird."

"I've gotten used to it," she replied.

"So, what is that thing?" Harry asked.

"It's a time turner. McGonagall gave it to me at the start of term. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone. She wrote a lot of letters to the Ministry to get it for me. Lots of rules, and too many bad things have happened because of them. That's why we can't be seen."

Harry blushed. "I've already seen myself. I saved us with my patronus."

"But Harry, that means..." Hermione trailed off. "That means we have to do it again. Just like before. But I can't think. What does Dumbledore want us to do? How are we suppose to help Sirius?"

Harry thought for a moment. "We're at Hagrid's, and Buckbeak, shit, that's it. Two lives, remember? We save Buckbeak, and then fly him up to Flitwick's office. Quick, we gotta hurry," Harry said and pulled Hermione from the closet after checking to make sure it was clear.

They quickly made their way down, and out of the front doors. They ran as quickly as possible to the shadowy edge of the forbidden forest, and stopped to catch their breath.

"So," Harry said after he calmed down, "We're only allowed to do what's already happened?"

"Something like that," Hermione said. "There can be small changes, like all the times you and Ron nearly caught me."

"So if I go and blast Snape to make sure he never sets Pettigrew free, that would be too much?"

"Yeah, pretty much. Honestly, I don't know how we're gonna do this and not be seen. Or even succeed at freeing Buckbeak and Sirius."

"That's easy, 'Mione," Harry said with a Slytherin smirk. "We'll make it up as we go along. C'mon."

They followed the edge of the forest around, staying hidden, and eventually made it to Hagrid's Hut. They watched in silence as their other selves entered Hagrid's Hut to console him. They heard Hagrid breaking the milk jug, and Hermione's shriek at finding Scabbers.

"I know it would screw things up," Harry said, "But I so want to grab that rat."

"Relax, Harry. I know how you feel," Hermione said.

"Do you?" Harry said, his anger showing a bit, making her jump. "You've always had parents. I had Sirius for five whole minutes, and now, even if we do this, he'll be on the run, like before, and I'll still be alone."

Hermione didn't know what to say to that. So she said nothing, just sat and stared, watched and waited.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," Harry said finally. "I just wish..."

"I know."

"Okay," Harry looked up. "I guess we gotta wait for the minister and his two goons to make sure they don't blame Hagrid, right?"

"Yeah," Hermione nodded and squeezed Harry's shoulder reassuringly.

Soon, Dumbledore, Fudge, the old committee member and Macnair approached just as Harry, Ron, and Hermione left Hagrid's and headed back to the castle under the invisibility cloak. Harry and Hermione kept waiting as they watched themselves depart and the other four enter.

Once Macnair saw Buckbeak out of Hagrid's window, Harry quickly made his way to Buckbeak, and bowed. After he bowed back, Harry approached and untied him, pulling him up with some effort, and back to where he was hiding with Hermione.

"I guess we should move over to the lake," Harry suggested after they saw themselves go into the tunnel under the Whomping Willow. "I certainly don't want to miss what I'm supposed to do."

"Me neither," Hermione replied with a nervous chuckle.

"I really hate Snape touching my invisibility cloak," Harry sighed as they took up their new hiding spot. "It would be so easy just to stop him from releasing that rat."

"I know, Harry. But we can't," She said firmly. "Are you sure you can cast that Patronus? Only a really powerful wizard is suppose to do that, and we're only thirteen."

"Yeah, I was thinking about that. But, I figure, since I already did it, I can do it now. No worries. Does that make any sense?"

"Sort of, I guess."

They heard a commotion, and turned around, to see Sirius drive off Lupin, just before the cold swept in, surrounding them both. Harry then knew what he had to do, what he realised he had been planning in the back of his mind the whole time. He stood up with confidence, and happiness, and called forth the Patronus in the shape of a stag.

It galloped over, just like before, and killed the first Dementor, and drove the others away before returning to him.

"Hello, dad," Harry choked out, knowing this was the animagus form of his father. He reached up and petted it for a moment. "I'll take care of Sirius," he said quietly as it nodded and vanished.

He and Hermione watched in the silent darkness as Snape came to, and released Pettigrew. Harry shuttered, hoping beyond hope that what he thought wasn't true. They saw Snape point his wand at Pettigrew, then slowly lower it, allowing the rat to transform and escape.

Hermione gave Harry a reassuring squeeze as he felt the angry tears of hopelessness fall from his cheeks. "It'll be alright," she said and Harry sighed.

They watched Snape bind Sirius with ropes and then conjure stretchers for everyone. In the pale moonlight, they could see the triumphant smirk on his face as he levitated everyone back to the castle.

Silently they climbed on Buckbeak and Harry attached the other end of the rope to his collar like reins. They waited, checking their watch until they were sure Sirius would be up there, and took off.

Buckbeak soared up and around, and Hermione held tight. "I really don't like this," she said and held tighter.

Harry urged the hippogriff forward and up, gliding silently toward the upper floors. Harry pulled hard to the left, and Buckbeak turned. He tried hard to count the windows as they flew past.

"Whoa," he said, pulling back as hard as he could. "He's there!"

They floated there, moving about three feet up and down with the beating of Buckbeak's wings. Harry tapped on the glass of the window, and saw Sirius' jaw drop, for a moment before he leapt out of his chair and rush to the window. It was locked.

Hermione pulled out her wand, and with a quick 'alohomora', Sirius was able to open the window and climb out to them, sliding on behind Hermione.

Harry pulled up, and they flew higher and higher, and landed easily on the top of the astronomy tower. They helped Hermione down first, and she just stared as Harry didn't seem to be moving.

"Go, Harry, I'll be fine," Sirius said, trying to gently push his godson off.

"No, I'm going with you," Harry said plainly, tears railing down his cheek

"Harry?" Hermione questioned. "What about school? Me and Ron? The Time Turner?" she pleaded.

"I'm sorry, but I have to," Harry said, and looked back at Sirius. "He's all I've really got, and I'm not going to lose him. I don't expect you to really understand, 'Mione, as you've always had parents. Same with Ron."

"But Dumbledore? And Snape?" she pleaded again.

"I don't trust them. You saw what Snape did. He let the rat go. Dumbledore could have tried harder. He gave evidence that Sirius was the secret keeper. That stinks, and I don't trust them."

Hermione nodded sadly as Sirius scooted closer, and gave Harry a reassuring hug.

"You are your father's son, Harry," he said. "I've seen that look in his eyes, and there's no swaying you from this decision, thank you."

"But the time turner?" she asked.

Harry smiled. "Tell them that Dobby helped me. In fact, we're going to find that little house elf and then Pettigrew. I'm not coming back until Sirius is free. Tell that to Dumbledore and that idiot Fudge. Tell him, from me, that he needs to start worrying more about truth and justice rather than living in the back pocket of a blond haired deatheater that bought his way free."

Hermione nodded and Harry added, "Or believe the words of a suspicious deatheater posing as a potions professor."

"Harry, one more thing," she said. "Standard book of spells, grade seven, page 239."

Sirius and Harry looked at each other and then back to Hermione.

"You'll have to learn how to cast it before you can use the tracking charm I put on Pettigrew," she said with a Slytherin smirk and hurried off before Dumbledore locked the door to the hospital wing.


	3. HP And Voldemort's Back Up Plan

_AN: After rereading 'Let's Do The Time Warp Again' by Rorschach's Blot yet again, I was inspired to try a more serious type of fic, and this is the result, I hope you like it. AN2: I don't know where to take it, so in the scrap bin it goes. Let me know what you think.  
_

_Disclaim her, I don't own the HP Universe, I just play there._

"**Harry Potter And Voldemort's Backup Plan"**

Eighteen year old Harry James Potter stood holding the Sword of Gryffindor, staring at Voldemort, the decapitated Nagini dead at his feet. Voldemort's snake familiar had been the last Horcrux, now the Dark Lord was mortal and could be killed.

Harry had cornered the Dark Lord alone, leaving his friends behind after finding and destroying the other Horcruxes. This was his task, and his alone to complete. So many lives taken by Voldemort. So many families destroyed. Now was the time. Harry had trained, and fought, and learned, and now was the time of reckoning.

Cornered with no place to go, Voldemort stared back in fear for a moment, as he watched Harry bring the sword up in a high swinging arc. His wand was broken, his magic bound, and he knew this was his end. For now. He smiled evilly at the boy he had tried to kill so many times and failed. Then he pulled his contingency plan from his robes.

Time seemed to slow down as Harry swung the sword around with all of his might, watching Voldemort's face, and the fear it contained. He felt a bit of relief, knowing he was finally done. It would be over. Then fear gripped him as the sword approached the Dark Lord's neck and the evil bastard smiled at him and held up an hourglass.

Harry recognised it immediately. A time turner. Though larger and oddly shaped compared to the one his friend Hermione had in their third year at Hogwarts, it was clearly a time turner. Voldemort knew he would lose, and planned on going back. Harry felt anger surge through him and pushed even harder to kill him. Voldemort would not win he vowed.

The blade cut cleanly through Voldemort's neck, separating his head from his body. Harry let go of the blade when it's task was complete and reached for the object that would undo everything, but it was too late. Voldemort used the last of his strength to throw it to the ground. Unsure of what to do, unsure what any magic might do to a modified time turner, he did the first thing that came to mind. He quickly cast a banishing charm on Voldemort's body as he watched the time turner fall and burst on the concrete. He was filled with an unknown pain more intense than the cruciatus as a white mist instantly surrounded him. It was followed quickly by a blinding darkness and sweet, numbing, unconsciousness.

hphphp

"Up, boy. Get up and help Petunia with our breakfast you ungrateful brat!"

Harry winced at the sound of his Uncle Vernon's voice and sat up. He remembered everything from before as he took a quick look around. He realised in an instant he was back in the bloody cupboard. He swore quietly at the thought. He was supposed to be done. He was supposed to be able to rest now. Now the stupid Dark Lord had messed it all up.

He looked down at himself in the dim light and swore again. He couldn't be more than five or six. No, he was six. He remembered because he was wearing Dudley's old short pants. It was the one time in his life he had short pants. Even though they were still way too big for him, the legs didn't drag the ground, causing him to trip.

He felt like crying. He wanted to cry. His six year old eyes started to tear up, but his eighteen year old mind managed to force back his body's instincts. He used his anger at the situation to help keep his focus. Brushing the spiders off his socks, he quickly slipped them and his shoes on, and climbed out of the thrice damned cupboard.

He stumbled a bit, not being used to the small, undernourished body. He stood there for a moment in the bright light, letting his eyes adjust, when a feeling of dread came over him with the yapping sound of a mean little dog. This must be the time when Ripper had chased him up the tree for a whole day and night, he thought. Anger surged through him and he turned to stare down the dog just as it was about to snap it's jaws on his skinny leg.

The dog caught his eyes and immediately cowered. It turned and ran yapping in fear, back the way it had come. It went straight past a gaping aunt Marge and into the other room.

"What did you do to my little Ripper?" Marge bellowed.

Harry wanted to say they were lucky he didn't strangle the thing or cut it's head off with one of Petunia's cleavers, but settled for, "Piss off."

Momentarily startled by Harry's remark, Vernon managed to grab Harry as he started for the door. "How dare you talk to your Aunt Marge that way, boy."

Harry instinctively flared his wandless magic up, causing Vernon's hands to blister from the heat. He glared at his uncle who pulled his hand quickly away with a yelp. Then he realised that he not only had the knowledge of his eighteen year old self, but the power to use it as well. He would still need a wand for anything really major, but he could do basic things without one. He also realised that the correction enchantment to his eyes that Hermione invented had apparently followed him back in time. He could see very well without his glasses.

He needed time to think of what he had to do, and any significant magic he did would be detected by the ministry. For now, he figured he should just control the situation as best as he could, which meant he would NOT be tormented by his relatives this time around.

"Listen up and listen good," Harry said to his uncle in a voice that was pretty menacing for a six year old. "I know what I am now, and I will tell the neighbors all about my freakishness, not to mention maybe turn you all into bullfrogs or something, unless you leave me alone for the most part and buy me some proper clothes."

Harry smirked and then did a little magic trick that Tonks had taught him. He made his emerald green eyes glow menacingly, as well as grow his sheared off hair to a more manageable collar length. None of this would be noticed by the ministry, so he was still safe. If he chose to stay here, he would definitely add wards to prevent the detection of magic so he could live in peace.

The three adult Dursleys just stared at him in fear while Dudley ran back to his room. Vernon began spluttering and stammering while Marge fainted. Petunia just went pale and continued staring.

"Listen," Harry continued. "I don't want to be here any more than you want me here, but until I can make other arrangements, we're stuck with each other. And, I won't be putting up with, shall we say, mistreatment? Think about this, _Aunt_ Petunia. If the situation was reversed, how would my mum and dad have treated Dudley? Hmm?"

Petunia looked like someone had slapped her in the face. She slowly bowed her head in shame, and Harry smiled inwardly, maybe imperio wouldn't be needed after all. She fetched her purse and headed for the front door.

"Vernon, the smelling salts are in the bathroom," she said. "I'm taking my nephew shopping for a few clothes."

"What?" Vernon choked out.

"Hey, I don't need fancy clothes," Harry growled out. "They can even be second hand, as long as they fit and are in good condition."

"But...but," Vernon spluttered.

"No," Petunia said firmly. "We will get him proper clothes, Vernon. We agreed to the letter that...that man wrote us. We will provide for him more properly."

Petunia stared at a slightly shocked Harry, who immediately got a move on and followed her to the car. Apparently, Harry figured, she couldn't stand being considered less polite or civil than her sister. Not recalling any letter from anyone, Dumbledore most likely, he would perhaps have to check on that later.

They rode silently to the department store, Harry glancing sideways at his aunt every now and then as he worked out what he needed to do.

He would have to see Dumbledore, for certain. He respected the man, though his memories from the end of his fifth year still stung a bit. The old man had made many mistakes in his effort to see the big picture. Harry would show him a different big picture, the one that shows peoples lives and freedoms must be taken into account, otherwise you're no better than Voldemort. He smiled a bit as he remembered that the training he had done made him just a tad bit more powerful than Dumbledore. Especially since he wasn't afraid to use some of the darker curses and spells.

He didn't want to think about the fact that the people he knew, the people he loved and needed, were gone now, and no amount of trying to play things out the same as before would make them the same people. He was all alone. Even with his adult mind, he was feeling like a little kid more and more and couldn't prevent the tears from beginning to fall.

Changing his direction of thought to calm down, he hoped that keeping Voldemort's body away from the time turner when it exploded at least gave him a little time, though keeping Voldemort from coming back in time at all would be better. He figured something must have went wrong, because he was pretty sure ole Voldy would have gone back to 1981, not 1986.

After a silent shopping trip, Harry sat in his newly acquired bedroom that made Dudley scream for a solid hour, trying to come up with a plan. Alone where nobody could see him and no real idea of what he should do, he allowed his six year old body to act it's age and he cried. Cried for the friends that would never be, the best parts of his old life that would never be. Overwhelmed at being and feeling six years old, he cried himself to sleep like he did the first time around.


	4. Night And Day Terrors

**Disclaimer: Not mine, I just play here.**

_**AN: **Well, my muse felt a bit psychotic when it forced this idea into my brain through osmosis. Major graphic violence, not for the faint of heart. Really._

"**Night And Day Terror"**

Harry was truly afraid.

He wasn't afraid, not really, when he gave himself to Voldemort to die. He wasn't afraid when he chose to come back to end this. He wasn't even afraid when he made his way to face Voldemort for the last time. That is until he actually felt his luck run out.

He didn't know how he knew it, but he did. He knew something was really off as he stared down the insane wizard who had tried countless times to kill him. He knew that a killing curse sent at him would rebound again. He knew that Voldemort knew this as well, even with the connection between them being severed thanks to the destroyed horcrux.

The horcrux from his scar was gone. He had never felt so clear headed before. Had never realised that he had been in constant pain all of his life until it was gone. A low level of pain emanating from his scar that he had simply been used to. All gone now, leaving him free to really think. Free to actually feel fear now that he sensed Voldemort would finally do something unexpected.

He fingered the time turner Hermione had slipped him as a last resort, given the danger of truly changing the present by going into the past. When the silent curse left the Dark Lord's wand, Harry felt a tear run down his cheek. It wasn't green, but a deep violet. He knew it would not rebound. Harry brought the time turner up as he attempted to duck beneath the spell, but it was too late.

He felt it pass through the time turner, destroying it, and then strike his throat. Pain exploded in his mind as his hands jerked to his neck. Terror enveloped him as his view started to fade backwards as the light began to dim. He tried and failed to scream as he saw his body jerking violently as blood poured from the stump that was his neck. He waited for death as he felt his head hit the ground and everything went black.

The darkness faded in an instant and he heard himself screaming, grasping his throat as he took in his long forgotten surroundings. The hut on a rock in the middle of the sea. He saw Hagrid standing in the doorway, attempting to cast a patronus with his wand. It took three tries, but finally the image of Dumbledore appeared and raced off.

"It'll be alright, Harry," he managed to hear the half giant yell over his own screams.

He looked up when he felt a rag placed on his neck by trembling hands. If he wasn't so terrified he would have been shocked to see his Aunt Petunia crying as she struggled to stifle the blood flow. If he wasn't so terrified he would have realised that he had traveled back in time nearly seven years. If he wasn't so terrified he would have realised that that meant that those he cared about were still alive and could possibly remain that way. If he wasn't so terrified he might have heard the four pops announcing the arrival of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, and Poppy Pomfrey.

He might have calmed down when Poppy Pomfrey easily healed the cut on his neck, which turned out not to be so bad and wouldn't even leave much of a scar, if not for the hasty decision of one Headmaster to find out what happened to make Harry so hysterical. A hasty decision to have both the Headmaster and potions professor to use legilimency to find out what happened.

The skill of both professors allowed for accuracy in calling up the memories they needed, forcing the now eleven year old to relive the high points of his life. They started at the current moment, and moved forward through the potential future time line that ended in Harry's near death and time travel. Unfortunately it didn't end there, as the memory of that instant, being in the hut on the rock in the middle of the sea, linked to the memories of the child's former life.

Both Dumbledore and Snape wanted to sick up at what they witnessed, but the memories now began to pull them, flowing in reverse, as they watched more of Harry's pain at the hands of the Dursleys. The multiple denial of Hogwarts letters, the cupboard under the stairs, the starvation, the chores, the Harry hunting, the accidental apparating, the blue wig, the hair regrow after a bad haircut, the berating by Aunt Marge, and her dog Ripper chasing him up a tree for a day.

By this point, Harry was a fraction more coherent, the screaming now silent sobs, as the memories continued. Memories with details long forgotten, such as when Harry prayed for some unknown relative to come and take him away from the hell he lived, it wasn't an unknown relative. He wanted his godfather, known as Pa'foo, or his Uncle Moo'ey. Those prayers alternating with ones for death, to join his mum and dad. These were the things he was forced to remember. Things that both shocked and appalled even Snape.

It was done. Albus and Severus sagged into conjured chairs as Poppy gave Harry the strongest dreamless sleep potion she had, and placed him into the most comfortable bed Albus could conjure. All three Dursleys stood off in the corner, afraid of what to do, though, Petunia was also actually afraid for her sister's child for the first time in her life.

"So what happened?" Minerva finally managed to ask, keeping a wary eye on the muggles.

Albus looked weary as he stood and began pacing, though the weary look turned to one of anger quickly. He stalked over to Petunia and slapped her across the face. He then turned to Vernon who had started to bellow, and slugged him with all of the magically enhanced strength he could. The walrus flew across the room and landed in a heap, unconscious.

Everyone just stared in awe, shock, apprehension, to name but a few emotions that flickered across everyone's face. After a few moments of scowling at the muggles, followed by a few more moments of thoughtful consideration, Albus walked over to Poppy and the sleeping Harry.

"These are the best clothes Petunia saw fit to give Harry," he said, eliciting a scowl from Minerva and Hagrid. "If you would, Poppy, please give the boy a full medical scan, and announce the findings."

Vanishing the much to large trousers, and blood stained oversize tshirt, Poppy cleared her throat and began with a series of wand movements. "Bruising, one broken rib from about two years ago, dehydration, severe long term malnutrition, in fact..." she trailed off and glared at Petunia. "In fact, his innate magic has been compensating for the lack of proper food. Without it, he would have died. If it had continued, his magical ability at Hogwarts would have been variable and sporadic at best."

"We've never hit the boy," Petunia squawked nervously in her defense.

"The Dursley brat did it during a more successful game of 'Harry Hunting'," Snape said with a menace usually reserved for making Gryffindors wet themselves.

"In any case, without a deep scan, I would never have caught it," Poppy said sadly to the headmaster. "We need to get him on a personally tailored nutrient potion immediately. It will probably take a year for him to reach the height, weight, and proper health he would have been at."

"I will see to it," Severus offered sternly, but with a hint of sadness, "for Lily's child."

"I'm sorry," Petunia choked out at hearing the name of her sister. "So sorry."

"Too little too late," Severus spat.

Albus looked down at the sleeping boy in sadness, then cast a long winded incantation, and sighed in relief at the pale grey mist. "He is still free of the soul fragment, Severus. No more will I put the fate of the wizarding world on his too small shoulders. After you make his potion, I will need your assistance in using the knowledge gained from the boy to track down and destroy Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes."

"Wha' abou' 'Arry?" Hagrid asked. "'e was wailin' up a storm."

"He," the headmaster paused and closed his eyes. "he will need a mind healer with an unbreakable vow. Let me just say it involved a time turner, a high powered cutting hex from Voldemort, and... a seventeen year old Harry Potter's neck."

Everyone turned green at that, even Snape, who had seen the memory. They all glanced at the boy who would have given his all to save everyone. Perhaps he wouldn't have to this time around. Perhaps Harry would be allowed to be normal for once, since it was everyone else's action that had prevented Harry from achieving one of his greatest desires.

Harry would heal. He would be almost to a proper height for his age by the time he reached Hogwarts. The mind healer would take the vow, and help Harry overcome the memories of a bad childhood, a bad future, and help him to be a boy again, not the forced to grow up maturity from before. Albus and the Order would dispatch the magical artifacts tying Tom Marvolo Riddle to the earth, thus removing the burden from Harry. Pettigrew would be caught, Sirius would be freed, allowed to move in with the Dursleys, and Petunia would look after Harry proper, feeling utter regret until her dying day.

_**AN: **Happily ever after I hope, perhaps someone would like a shot at expanding this idea? R&R please, thanks._


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